Oregon Health and Science University

The fundamental purpose of OHSU is to improve well-being. As part of its multifaceted public mission, OHSU strives for excellence in education, research, clinical practice, scholarship and community service.

OHSU has a strong and thriving research program. Research at OHSU creates new knowledge about prevention, detection and treatment of disease. It has the potential to unlock the mysteries of health and illnesses, and to spark new therapies to treat and prevent disease and disability. This research adds to the understanding of the various effects of numerous treatments and interventions.

The Sleep and Mood Disorders Laboratory

Home of internationally-recognized research on melatonin, circadian rhythms and disorders related to the body clock, we aim to expand understanding of the human internal body clock and to develop and refine treatments for body clock disorders.

Since its inception in 1982, the Sleep and Mood Disorders Laboratory has focused on studies of circadian rhythms ("body clocks") and how they are affected by melatonin and light. The Laboratory continues to refine the understanding of how circadian rhythms govern the sleep-wake cycle and how melatonin can be used as a treatment for misalignments between circadian rhythms and sleep.